By Betty Sharpless
Who says gardening has to be back-breaking hard work? Not me! This time of year I love to empty out my front porch flower pots, and reseed them with greens and herbs that will last all winter long. Greens love cool weather and indirect sun. If you have a porch or deck that faces any direction except north, you can garden in your jammies, and pad out to your very local garden for fresh herbs all winter long.
Greens are super easy to grow. I like to plant Swiss chard, beets, spinach, and either Red Russian or Premier Kale. These all grow well from seeds, making them the most cost effective; you can get six plants or 100 seeds for the same amount of money. Kids love to plant seeds and are more likely to eat something they have grown themselves. Just loosen up the first two inches of potting soil, yes you can use your old soil, fertilize it with an organic fertilizer, and make half inch furrows for the seeds. If you plant too thickly, just thin the new plants out to about one inch apart and eat them. Tiny veggies are all the rage!
Once the seeds are in, give them a good drink, and keep them slightly damp until they come up. The bigger they are the more water they will want. To keep your garden producing all winter long, pick leaves off of the outer edges of the plants, this allows the main plant to keep on growing. I pick leaves for my work sandwiches, for omelets, and for my favorite ‘breakfast for dinner’ go to. (See right.)
Do you know that Swiss chard has more available calcium than any other garden green? All of these greens are high in the B vitamin family, including niacin. They are also a good source of iron. When cooking with fresh greens, remember to just barely steam them to keep all that goodness in. I find a squeeze of lemon or a few drops of balsamic vinegar really heightens the flavors.
Aside from these greens, you can plant an herb pot that will grow year round. Choose a really wide pot as herbs grow like tasty weeds. Year round herbs are: parsley, oregano, thymes, chives and sage. I usually give rosemary her very own pot, as she is tall and glorious and a bit pushy about her personal space. Making omelets for dinner? Snip a few pieces of all the herbs, about two inches of each, chop them finely, and mix with 1/3 cup cream cheese. Use this mix for the filling in the omelet, adding it after the egg mix has started to set up. You will be amazed at how good simple food can taste with fresh herbs!
Happy Barefoot Pajama Gardening!
Breakfast for Dinner
Ingredients:
- 1/3 onion, chopped into 1/4” pieces
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Peppers, mushrooms, other refrigerator veggies
- 1 medium Yukon gold potatoe, quartered and sliced very thin
- About 3 cups of greens, washed and chopped roughly
- 2 eggs
- Shredded cheese of your choice
Directions
Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil or butter to a no stick frying pan. Medium heat.
Add onions, garlic and potato cover and let cook until the onions are translucent but not browned.
Add peppers and other veggies, saute for 3-5 minutes.
Add damp greens and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine and cover until the greens are wilted.
Use a spoon to make nests for the eggs, then crack one egg into each nest. Reduce heat and cover until eggs are cooked to you liking.
Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add salt, and pepper as desired.
Slide from the pan to the plate, pour a little wine and open a good book.
Bon Appetit!